Color of the year: GREENERY

March 10, 2017March 30, 2017Leave a comment

– Customize with the Color of the Year!

March may seem like the only month we can embrace the color green because, hello to St. Patrick’s Day…But why not celebrate the color green all year long? I highlighted this in a blog at the beginning of the year for – but just as a refresher, the Pantone color of the year for 2017 –Greenery! To me, green represents a total refresh – it makes people feel good, happy and bright! I am really excited to see this color incorporated it into our homes and styles, I think will have the same effect of positivity and happiness in people and homes too!

If you haven’t tried to add greenery into your home decor yet, here are some innovative and unique ways to bring different hues of green into your home.

Splash of Green:

Make a statement by having a splash of green on your faux iron. Faux iron is custom-built to fit any shape or size window, including arches and skylights. It can be a full window treatment or installed as a piece of wrought iron artwork for the backyard.

Green Drapery for the Bedroom:

Achieve an airy look for your bedroom with custom, full-length light green drapery. Drapery can be sheer or lined with light-filtering to blackout liners to give you total light control.

Bring nature indoors:

With just a touch of green, wood blinds can make any area feel warm and inviting. Wood blinds are made of 100% eco-friendly hardwood (making them another type of green). They will look beautiful while preserving the environment.

Let the Light In:

Green Trilight shades are pleated shades on the top to let in natural light while maintaining privacy and blackout cellular on the bottom for complete privacy and darkness.

Green for the Bathroom:

Woven wood shades layered with green drapery make for a perfect mix of glamor and rustic. Woven woods are made from renewable resources making them a “green,” eco-friendly window treatment for an organic feel.

Now that you have some great ideas on how to integrate green (and greenery) into your home, let’s get started today! Budget Blinds of Stillwater can help you go green with window coverings, including blinds, shades, shutters, curtains and drapes (and we can make it SUPER green by customizing your treatments to be energy efficient too!)

Call me today and let’s connect ~ 651-351-7620 go online to budgetblinds.com to schedule your FREE, in-home consultation! I can’t wait to see green emerge in 2017, so fun!

Creating a WELCOMING entry

February 6, 2017February 6, 2017Leave a comment

– I HAVE FIVE TIPS FOR YOU –

https://www.pinterest.com/bbstillwater/entryway/

Guests come over to your home and the first thing they see is your entryway, right?! Why not make it PERFECT (while showcasing your style) and make their first impression a lasting one! Here are some quick tips and tricks that will make your entryway go from drab to fab – and the best thing, they are all SUPER easy too!

Choose an ART piece or COLOR first

When you have the option, always choose to build a room around your existing decor first. Find the focal point (or a desired art piece) and create your starting point.

https://www.pinterest.com/bbstillwater/entryway/

If your said piece is just the door itself, thats great, just choose a fun color to create initial contrast! Once you see the color POP you can easily get inspired after that – and if you’re not inspired, that’s okay – check out my Pinterest Page for fun ideas! Grab your desired piece, hop onto My Pinterest page and get inspired with great (and easy DIY ideas!) Some of these you may already have in your home and just need to repurpose them 🙂

Consider your overall SCALE

Often times entryways can be narrow (with a high ceiling), and with that you always need to intentionally choose decor that mimics the shape of the space you are decorating! If you are lucky enough to have an open entryway and/or grand space you have more options, but not necessarily more ease, sometimes options isn’t always the simplest for design.

https://www.pinterest.com/bbstillwater/entryway/

Notice how in the photo on the LEFT (larger entryway) we encompass a mirror, a narrow hallway table, lighting ambiance and a rug? Well, same thing for the photo on the RIGHT (smaller entryway) – see the mirror, the narrow hallway table, lighting ambiance and rug (not pictured)! LOVE IT! Again, the size of your entryway doesn’t necessarily mean less or more for decor – you just need to be intentional with what decor is appropriate.

Continue reading →

50% OFF TOTAL ORDER!!

January 16, 2017January 24, 2017Leave a comment

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How to Find the Perfect Vintage Window Treatment

November 27, 2016December 13, 2016Leave a comment

Let’s talk vintage – are you in? Vintage is a style that has a specific taste – it is timeless, classic and unique. When talking vintage, there are two popular décor styles to keep in mind, they are traditional vintage and mid-century vintage. Both of these décor styles are inspired by other eras that are at least 30 years or older (according to budgetblinds.com)

Finding interior décor to match these styles can be easy with thrift stores and garage sales, but matching your specific style to the perfect window treatment can be difficult. Not to worry though – Budget Blinds is the leader in window treatment customization and we have plenty of window treatments options to fit your vintage-inspired home!

Traditional Vintage

Traditional vintage takes a past era and recreates it. This type of décor makes you feel as if you’ve stepped into an old television show like, “Leave it to Beaver.” Finding a window treatment to match this particular style of décor can be hard (but again, we got you covered with the customization!) Custom wood blinds with cloth tapes are a great option for a traditional vintage home. Wood blinds come in a variety of colors, stains and finishes. They can also be custom color-matched to your wood trim or furnishings which is great for completing your desired look. By adding decorative cloth tapes to your wood blinds, you add an extra touch to bring out your vintage flair.

Mid-century Vintage

Mid-century vintage takes on the traditional vibe but with a BIT of a twist. It has a touch of modern style paired with the traditional to create a more updated version. Budget Blinds offers two great window coverings that are perfect for achieving this mid-century vintage inspired style.

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Another mid-century vintage inspired window treatment is roller shades. Roller shades may seem like a very modern window covering but with a wide range of colors and fabrics they can transform into a vintage-inspired window covering. Roller shades with tassels or scalloped trims are great to achieve a vintage look with a modern twist.

Budget Blinds has a variety of opacity levels including sheer, light-filtering, room-darkening and blackout to provide you with a wide range for light control and privacy. Also, roller shades are pet-safe and child-friendly with various control options including continuous-loop lift, cordless lift, smart pull lift and remote control motorization.

Budget Blinds offers plenty of window treatments – and the best thing is they are CUSTOMIZED for you, and your style (including shutters!) Let us help you achieve your vision of a vintage-inspired home and schedule your free in-home consultation today!

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Veteran’s Day and Remembrance Day: a Special Time to Honor Veterans

November 11, 2016November 14, 2016Leave a comment

*** FROM CORPORATE ***

(but we couldn’t help pass it along!)

Every November 11, people in the United States and Canada take time to honor their country’s military heroes and Veterans. In the U.S., it’s Veterans’ Day and in Canada, Remembrance Day to acknowledge the unpayable debt to all who serve in the Armed Forces, past and present.

Celebrations abound in private homes, local communities and on the national stage with speeches, flag ceremonies, parades, picnics and fireworks. It’s a bittersweet time, mindful of the service and sacrifices of our military at home and abroad, while at the same time celebrating the way of life we enjoy because of those sacrifices.

Budget Blinds honors veterans all year long

Honoring veterans is a core value at Budget Blinds®, as shared by our Chief Executive Officer, Shirin Behzadi: “At Budget Blinds, we share a strong commitment to supporting veterans who have served our country. Many of our franchisees across the country are veterans or have personal connections to the U.S. Armed Forces, so we feel extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to give back to these true American heroes when and where we can.” This giving back takes several forms, including support of community service programs and career assistance.

In Canada, the partnership with Wounded Warriors Canada (WWC) focuses on supporting Canada’s ill and injured Canadian Armed Forces members, veterans and their families. The mission of Wounded Warriors Canada, to Honour the Fallen, Help the Living, is realized through supporting and funding programs and services that physically and emotionally assist and support veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other casualties of war. Together with our manufacturing partner, Springs Window Fashions® who produces our exclusive line of Signature Series® window coverings, Budget Blinds has made two $15,000 donations to WWC in the past two years.

U.S. veteran support efforts include placing window blinds into specially adapted homes for severely wounded Veterans through partnership with Homes for Our Troops (HFOT). Springs Window Fashions supplies Signature Series faux wood blinds and supports the Budget Blinds’ commitment of donating $1 million to HFOT over a three-year period, which consists of a combination of product, services and cash donations. To date, two annual donations of $50,000 have been made and window blinds have been installed in almost 70 homes across the country by local Budget Blinds franchise owners, enabling the Veterans and their families to focus on recovery and rebuilding their lives.

The newest Budget Blinds partnership in support of Veterans is Designing Spaces’ Military Makeover airing on Lifetime® Television and by year end we’ll have participated in the renovation of four homes for deserving Veterans. Custom window coverings from our exclusive Enlightened Styles® product line are supplied to meet each family’s needs for energy efficiency, child-safe cordless operation and complete light and privacy control. For each show, the local Budget Blinds franchise owner gives their time to consult with the family and professionally install the blinds, shades or shutters of their choice. On each show, Tracy Christman, Vice President of Vendor Alliance at Budget Blinds, talks with hosts Art Edmonds and “Gunny,” retired U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant R. Lee Ermey, about the benefits of having the right window coverings.

Helping Veterans build businesses

Another way to honor Veterans is by offering substantial discounts to qualified veterans who purchase a franchise business with Budget Blinds or one of its sister companies, Tailored Living or Concrete Craft, all thriving franchise brands of Home Franchise Concepts (HFC). HFC choses to honor and say thank you to U.S. and Canadian Veterans in a tangible way by helping them build secure financial futures through ownership of a low-cost, home-based franchise, scalable to the way they live and the needs of their family.

Retired Marine Corps, Ed Burns, now a proud franchise owner of Budget Blinds serving Costa Mesa, shares: “You have so much responsibility in the military; it’s really nice to be just responsible for yourself. I love it. I love being my own boss [with Budget Blinds]. I love the service we’re providing.”

To find out more about franchise business opportunities for Veterans, go to Home Franchise Concepts/Veterans.

Check out the Giving Back section on our website to read more about how Budget Blinds supports veterans:

If you’ve been shopping for new window coverings and are hopelessly confused, save yourself and call Budget Blinds! We’re the experts with blinds, shutters, window shades, drapes, curtains, decorative window film and more, including energy efficiency, child safety and smart home technology for remote control window coverings. Call 651-351-7620 today, or go online to www.budgetblinds.com to find the Budget Blinds Style Consultant nearest you and schedule your free, in-home consultation.

A Style You Need: Blackout Window Treatments

November 6, 2016November 14, 2016Leave a comment

Blackout Window Treatments for Every Room in Your Home

Do I even need to detail the reasons why you need blackout shades? They are stylish, affordable and yes, you need them! Think of turning off all the lights before bed, getting into bed and having TOTAL darkness – bliss! Or picture watching the football game and having no sun glare on the screen! Yes, it can be done (and in a super stylish way too!) With blackout shades from Budget Blinds you will find the ideal solution for every room in your home!

DID YOU KNOW: Blackout is actually a light opacity option that can be added to most window coverings?! Its true, Budget Blinds has a variety of blackout styled shades including roller shades, cellular shades, pleated shades, Roman shades, woven wood shades, and even drapery and curtains can have blackout linings too! Depending on your style preference, we can totally match (and customize) the specific look you need.

Let’s talk specifics,

KITCHEN-

Your kitchen is one of the brightest rooms in your home (well, it should be!) If you’re like me, you love having the sun shine down on you while you’re drinking your morning coffee. The sun is a wakeup call. Yet, there are times when the sun is shining so bright through your kitchen windows while you’re cookingup a hot meal – hot x hot x hot = not good! During a situation like this blackout shades are the best solution for you! Blackout shades will allow you to block out the sun and will save money on your energy bill – not to mention, they look modern too!

LIVING ROOM –

Your living room might not be a typical place to have a blackout shade, but when you need privacy and security it is the perfect window treatment! A HUGE reason to have a blackout shade on your living room windows is privacy. It also helps when you don’t really want to have drop-in company that come over unannounced. A blackout shade makes it look like you’re not home just in case it’s not the right time to have guests 😉

BEDROOM –

The bedroom is ThE BESTplace to have blackout shades. An important reason is privacy, but aside from that blackout window coverings provide BETTER SLEEP, and who doesn’t want that?! Having the room extra dark can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Blackout treatments ensure a dark room that will help you get the sleep you deserve. Also, while you’re getting a wonderful night’s sleep, a blackout window covering can help keep in the heat during those cold winter months or keep the room comfortable and cool during warmer months too! Winning all around!

CHILDS ROOM –

Blackout shades can give your child the best when it comes to their room – not only does it provide privacy and security, but it can be helpful when it comes to their much-needed sleep! For a newborn, blackout window coverings can help when baby is sleeping, and can also help tired parents catch some Z’s while their baby sleeps! Another wonderful option that can be added to your blackout treatments is motorization. Budget Blinds offers motorization powered by Somfy, the world’s leading manufacture in specialized motors for over 45 years. With a touch of a button, you can have complete darkness to ensure your child stays asleep. Also, having your window covering motorized eliminates dangerous dangling cords making them child safe. Budget Blinds stresses the importance of motorization for all your window treatments when there are children and pets living in the home.

BATHROOM –

The bathroom is YOUR place that needs as much privacyas possible. I don’t need to go into benefits of blackout shades in the bathroom, just trust me, you need them in this room probably the most! Motorized blackout shades are ideal for your bathroom, especially if you have hard-to-reach windows.

BLACKOUT WINDOW TREATMENTS IN ALL THE ROOMS IN YOUR HOME IS THE WAY TO GO! ! Call 651 – 351 – 7620 today or go online to budgetblinds.com and let’s connect with a free in-home design consultation!!

Improving Veterans’ Lives with Fabulous, Functional Faux Wood Blinds

May 31, 2016June 2, 2016Leave a comment

Okay, so I can’t lie – this blog post from Budget Blinds Corporate (love it!) I read the post and thought it was too good NOT to share! I am so proud to work for a company that gives back to the heroes of our country.

— Keep reading 🙂

“Home” calls to mind many images and emotions.

Safety, love and comfort
Family and friends
Good times and good food

If, however, you are a severely injured military veteran, it may also mean inaccessibility, frustration, pain and threat of injury. That’s because standard homes are not built to accommodate people with special needs such as wheelchairs, prosthetics and limited mobility.

HFOT House

Since 2004, Homes for Our Troops (HFC) has been rectifying that situation for as many injured veterans as they can, as fast as they can, by building specially adapted homes for severely injured veterans Post 9/11, to enable them to rebuild their lives. To date, 211 homes have been built and 70 projects are currently underway nationwide.

Budget Blindsbecame a corporate sponsor of HFOT in 2014, committing to install faux wood blinds from our Signature Series® collection into all the homes built over the next three years. It’s been an exciting journey as, month after month, veterans and their families move into these new, mortgage-free HFOT homes. Blinds are donated by our manufacturing partner, Springs Window Fashions, and local independent Budget Blinds franchise owners do measuring and installs for the homes in their areas. Read more about our relationship with HFOT by clicking here, and read on to meet the two newest home recipients.

Faux Wood Blinds are the right window blinds for all seasons!

Whenever and wherever the HFOT homes are built, white faux wood blinds from our Signature Series collection are ideal because of their versatility and high quality. Regardless the climate or season, our faux wood blinds create a comfortable and safe home environment for veterans and their families.

They provide energy efficiency by blocking sunlight to reduce solar heat
Made of durable polymer materials, they won’t crack, chip or peel and are easy to clean
Classic, white 2” slats are compatible with any home’s color scheme
They are moisture resistant, excellent for kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms
With UVA inhibitors built in, these blinds will not turn yellow over time

Faux Wood Blinds

Budget Blinds is available to help you with refreshing your own windows with our extensive line of window treatments including blinds, shutters, shades, drapes and more. Increased energy efficiency will keep your summers cooler, eco-friendly products can help you go green, and cordless options, including motorization, provide child-safe environments. Call 651-351-7620 to schedule your free, in-home consultation!

To learn about the many ways to support Homes for Our Troops or to make a donation, go tohttps://www.hfotusa.org/How_to_Help.

Budget Blinds + Inspired Shades

May 1, 2016May 25, 2016Leave a comment

MESSAGE FROM CORPORATE!! (ORANGE, CA. April, 2016) — With windows becoming more of a focal point in the room, Budget Blinds launched Inspired Shades, its designer collection of two, original product lines: Roller shades and natural woven shades!

The collection features never-seen-before designs and patterns that are on-trend, versatile, modern and vibrant, built with optional child-safe operating systems and light-control features. The Inspired Shades Collection is available to consumers in the U.S. and Canada through Budget Blinds’ franchise network serving over 8,000 cities.

According to Budget Blinds, the Inspired Shades Collection is the culmination of over a year’s work by a project team of internal designers and partners including textile and print experts and production specialists. Together, they have traveled extensively around the world to develop a designer collection of roller shades and natural woven shades unlike anything available on the market today.

The Inspired Shades Collection has over 80 original roller shade prints and 240 decorative fabrics, commissioned directly from the weaving mill exclusively for Budget Blinds and specifically created for modern North American color and design trends. These original selections were conceived by Budget Blinds’ internal design team using trending Pantone color chips and geometrical and floral patterns.

“In the window coverings industry, roller shades have become intensely competitive,” said Tracy Christman, Vice-President of Vendor Alliance and Design Expert for Budget Blinds. “What differentiates us and keeps us ahead of the competition is being able to show a unique and original product that is stunning, dramatic, trend-setting and versatile for homeowners. We’ve been doing this for over 20 years and, every year, we work harder and travel farther to bring the best to our customers.”

Inspired-Shades-Roller-Shades-Swatch-9889 Traditionally, natural woven shades have been heavy, rustic and limited to the natural colors of bamboo and wood. The natural woven shades featured in the Inspired Shades Collection bring a new level of softness, finesse, elegance and simple, natural beauty to the home. There are 38 unique blends of soft, natural fibers – like hemp, jute, and flax – woven into the thinnest threads to make the lightest natural shades both durable and delicate. Vibrant reds, greens and blues are used in the decorative accents, silk-edge bindings, sewn-in ribs and other finishing touches. The colors are all-natural plant dyes and 100% sustainable.

Christman added, “Our new collection is a dramatic step in the evolution of natural woven shades into attractive, stylish and smart shading solutions for all décor needs. The feel is very soft, almost like drapery, and you won’t find these natural woven shades available anywhere else, only with Budget Blinds.”

A requisite for Budget Blinds is child-safe operating features, and they worked closely with their partners to build in cordless, wand control, and motorized shade options.

“For over 15 years, we have aligned ourselves with the Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA),” said Shirin Behzadi, CEO of Budget Blinds and Home Franchise Concepts. “Our top priority is window covering safety, and safety features are a key component anytime we roll out a new product line.”

Additionally, the Inspired Shades Collection offers light-filtering, blackout, operable liners, edge binding and valance options.

Learn more about the new Inspired Shades Collection by Budget Blinds on their website or social media channels,Facebook and Pinterest.

You can see Tracy Christman featured on the national TV shows, Designing Spaces and, in Canada, the Marc & Mandy Show. View recently aired segment clips on the Budget Blinds Blog.

Summer Styles: Aluminum Shutters

April 20, 2016April 20, 2016Leave a comment

WANT TO TAKE THE BURN OUT OF SUMMER OUTDOOR LIVING? Aluminum Shutters are what you need!

June 20 is the official start of summer – that’s like two months!! And here in Minnesota / Western Wisconsin, we know that summer can actually pop up any day! Summer has a magic all its own, and it means outdoor get-togethers with family and friends and the love/hate relationship we have with the sun (and sunburn).

Budget Blinds actually has an answer for maximizing your outdoor summer fun!! Aluminum shutters are the PERFECT solution for ensuring that your outdoor spaces are livable (all day, every day) and tame the extremes of summer so your family / friends aren’t driven indoors. Simmering heat, summer showers and blustery breezes are NO match for the beauty and functionality of our collection of indoor-outdoor aluminum shutters! 🙂

Don’t let this summer melt away when you can have COMFORTABLE and PROTECTED outdoor living spaces with CUSTOM aluminum shutters that create PRIVACY, lower energy costs and add CLEAN DESIGN to your home. Call 651-351-7620 today to schedule your FREE, in-home consultation or go online to www.budgetblinds.com to find the styles and get inspired!! Discover just how much fun you can have in—and out of–the sun, and IN STYLE!!

Stylish Starts HEre

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VALANCES: The Crown for your Windows!

February 29, 2016Leave a comment

Adding a valance to your window treatments is a super easy way to customize and personalize your home! The versatility of valances is only limited by your imagination, as you’ll see in this “Valances 101” crash course 🙂

From a crisp, clean line for the minimalist, to pleated, ruffled and trimmed traditional opulence, there is no right or wrong in designing valances. With names like swagged, pleated, cascading, layered and balloon, there truly are unlimited design possibilities! Scroll down to see why we LOVE valances… and most importantly, why you will too!

* SOOO MANY DESIGN OPTIONS!

Valance Styles

Valance styles: A sampling of what’s in store in the iD Lookbook

Window valances generally take one of two styles : board-mounted or rod / pole-mounted.

1. Board-mounted has multiple cuts of fabric draped and upholstered to a board (Cornice boxes are included in this category, finished wood or upholstered)

2. Pole-mounted has fabric attached and draped in various ways, including rings, tabs, ties, bows, ribbons and hooks

Either style can be simple or elaborate, layered and trimmed, coordinating or contrasting (suuuper customizable!) Design options include shirred, stylized cascades, long and short layered swags, jabots, pleated and inverted pleat panels, pelmets, tassels, ruffles, decorative edging, beaded trim and more!!

The Budget Blinds® exclusive Inspired Drapes® collection of sumptuous fabrics and gorgeous hardware will have you wondering how you’ve lived without window valances in every single room (seriously!) Valances add definition and charm to your windows. Our online Inspired Drapes Lookbook (page 26 to start) can take you on a tour of valance designs that will get you excited!!!

* PURPOSEFUL DESIGN

The first step in valance design is to determine what exactly you want to accomplish. A valance can be so much more beyond “a big ruffle capping your window.” They can camouflage crooked or uneven windows and elevate the beauty of existing window coverings (designer tip!)

Valances are fashionable as stand-alone window treatments, or they can be combined with window blinds, shades or drapery for layers upon layers of style. Let us walk you through the wonderful, innovative world of window valances to help you find the ideal accent for all your windows!! Let’s get started today!

Frame a window, finish a full treatment, create a new look or add a seasonal touch.

Brown Valance This layered treatment includes Roman shades, custom drapery panels and a swagged decorative valance that adds colorful interest and elegance. For a room design update or refresh, just replace the valance for a whole new look without spending a fortune on new window coverings. For example, a brown and white subtle stripe or Greek Key patterned valance would give this room an entirely different vibe.

Cover unsightly hardware or pleats and headings of functional draperies or shades.

Although there are curtain rods for the roller shades and the drapes, these custom valances hide the hardware so all you see is a beautiful, continuous treatment across all three windows.

Soften the appearance of hard window treatments like blinds or sliding panels.

Orange Valance The straight lines of the vertical sliding panels on this patio door are softened with a pleated valance that adds a colorful focal point in this dining room. Even when the panels are stacked off to one side, the door is stylishly adorned, enhancing the view.

Create the allusion of additional height or width for a window.

One valance across two smaller windows helps to create the allusion of one large window, especially with drapery panels defining the space by extending the width of the windows.

Unify the appearance of different types of window treatments used in the same room.

Light Valance Matching valances create symmetry between the vertical and horizontal blinds in this bedroom. When window treatment styles don’t match, you can unify any room with coordinating valances.